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786 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Nov. 13, 1909. 
Innovation in Ship Building. 
Various references have been made lately to 
the Isherwood system of ship construction 
which appears to be meeting with increasing 
favor among ship owners, and has just been 
adopted by a prominent American firm, says 
Shipping Illustrated. This system is not one 
involving freak designs of any sort, but is based 
upon a new practice in framing which is scien¬ 
tifically correct. In old-type vessels the builder 
starts by building a cellular double bottom, and 
then pieces on to this the usual vertical framing, 
such framing being rounded off at the bilge, 
which is an expensive process. These frames 
have then to be supported from the tank side 
by floor end brackets; these again have to be 
supported by gusset plates. This being ac¬ 
complished and the ship plated, the want of fore 
and aft support for the plating becomes ap¬ 
parent, and stringers are fitted—a perfunctory 
way of providing what is found to be necessary. 
The Isherwood system is one of combined 
framing, that is, a transverse frame is carried 
right round the ship, intersected by longitu¬ 
dinal frames. The plating is thus supported 
in both directions, the great feature being that 
the deck, the sides and the bottom of the ship 
are all supported in practically the same man¬ 
ner. The practical method of carrying out Mr. 
Isherwood’s great basic principle is to carry a 
box girder right round the hull at intervals of 
10, 12 or 14 feet, or as may be desired. Where- 
ever this box girder engages the deck plating, 
side plating and bottom plating, it is slotted 
to enable a series of bulk bars to be weaved 
through the transverse girder continuously in a 
longitudinal direction. The two systems of 
framing are then lugged together, and the re¬ 
sult is an absolutely homogeneous structure. 
When Mr. Isherwood first made his researches 
he was looking for strength and not for weight¬ 
saving, but, having got out designs for a ship, 
he found that there was a big saving in weight. 
This he found was principally through the fact 
that in vessels built on the Isherwood system 
rows of beam knees, floor-end brackets, 
gussets and stringers have no function. In the 
case of vessels of extreme proportions, such as 
are used on the Great Lakes, the system solves 
a very great difficulty, avoiding, as it does, the 
“hogging” strains to which such vessels are es¬ 
pecially liable owing to their extreme length. 
Riverside Y. C. Officers. 
At the annual meeting of the Riverside Y. C. 
held at Riverside, Conn., last week, officers were 
elected for 1910. The year just closed was one 
of the most successful in the history of the 
club, which will start off the season with no 
indebtedness and a nice cash surplus. R. Halli- 
day Nexsen and C. T. Pierce were chosen to 
represent the club at the meeting of the dele¬ 
gates of the Long Island Racing Association. 
The officers and committees for next year are: 
Commodore, Thomas M. Turner; Vice-Com¬ 
modore, Charles T. Pierce; Rear-Commodore, 
John H. Tyson; Secretary, John G. Porter; 
Treasurer, E. W. Kelly; Measurer; R. H. 
Nexsen; Trustees for term ending November, 
1910, John S. Montgomery, N. M. Clark; Trus¬ 
tees for term ending November, 1911, George 
E. Marks, Irving M. Shaw; Trustees for term 
ending November, 1912, L. Vincent Lockwood, 
Charles T. Pierce; Regatta Committee, Charles 
T. Pierce, R. H. Nexsen, A. S. Crockett; 
Membership committee, W. J. B. Mills, S. W. 
Whitson, E. W. Kelly; Entertainment Commit¬ 
tee, Fred Beltz, Jr., Emmett Foy, E. R. Hunter: 
Chaplains, the Rev. George C. Houghton, 
D.D., the Rev. Charles W. Boylston. 
Work at Portchester. 
Several yachts building at the Luders 
Marine Construction Company at Portchester 
are approaching completion. One of these is 
a 50-foot cruising launch for Francis L. Field, 
of Belle Haven, Conn., which will be used on 
Long Island Sound. This vessel presents one 
or two novelties in arrangement which have 
not appeared before in vessels of this size. The 
owner’s quarters are forward under the long 
raised forecastle deck, and consist of a state¬ 
room fitted with two berths, locker and ward¬ 
robe, a toilet room connecting with the state¬ 
room which is just aft of the chain lockers. In 
the after part of the yacht is a large saloon 
fitted with extension berths, a wardrobe and 
buffet. At the after end of this cabin is a small 
galley on one side and a toilet on the other. 
The 35-horsepower motor is placed amidships 
between the two divisions of the owner’s 
quarters, and is separated from these by 
watertight bulkheads. The motor is housed 
under the raised deck and the after part is 
under the lower level of deck which constitutes 
the bridge. The gasolene is carried amidships 
in two 8o-gallon copper tanks. 
The construction of the craft is substantial 
throughout, the frames being of oak and the 
planking of cedar. The outside trimming is of 
mahogany, and the interior fittings are white 
mahogany forward and African mahogany aft. 
The yacht is to be lighted by electricity, and 
she will fly the burgee of the New York Y. C. 
News from Bristol. 
The new schooner for A. S. Cochran, which 
is to race in foreign waters, is growing at 
Herreshoff’s. The lead mold is completed, and 
the keel is being cast. Much of the material 
for the new yacht has been assembled and work 
will be rushed on very fast now. 
Adventuress, owned by Chester C. Rumrill, 
has been laid up. This yacht did not make 
much of a record this year. Avenger, now 
owned by Harry L. Maxwell, and Istalena, 
owned by G. M. Pynchon, have been painted 
and hauled out. The steam yachts laid up are 
Florence, Commodore A. H. Alker; Eugenia, 
John B. Herreshoff; Roamer, N. G. Herreshoff; 
Enaj, W. L. Thompson, and Floretta. 
One of the soundest yachts in the basin is 
the converted catboat Julia, which was built 
from designs by the late C. F. Herreshoff in 
1870. This yacht has been hauled out and in¬ 
spected, and was declared to be as sound as 
when she was launched nearly forty years ago. 
This yacht has had an eventful career. Her 
original owner, the father of the celebrated yacht 
designer, and his brothers, raced her as a cat- 
boat, and she won many races on Narragansett 
Bay. Since the death of the builder of Julia, 
the craft fell into the hands of one of his sons, 
who a few years ago changed her into a power 
boat. Those who have seen the yacht say there 
is no reason why she should not do well for 
another twenty-five years. 
New Cup for Lower Bay. 
A new cup will be sailed for on the Lower 
Bay next Season. The Crescent Athletic Club 
has this trophy and will announce the class of 
yachts eligible to sail for it and the conditions, 
as soon as the situation has been carefully 
looked over and conditions framed. The cup, 
which will be a valuable one, has been pre¬ 
sented to the club by Sir Thomas Lipton to 
boom racing on the Lower Bay. Two years 
ago Sir Thomas gave a prize for the S class 
which caused quite a boom in that class, and the 
races were of the best witnessed on the Lower 
Ba^. 
Canoeing. 
Hints to Campers. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
The following is offered for perusal during 
the after-summer season of contemplating and 
planning for future vacations. Mention is 
made only of those things, often found missing 
in camp outfits, which conduce so much to com¬ 
fort and without which a woods trip is incom¬ 
plete. 
First, a few remarks on the model of canoe 
most adaptable to long journeys over rivers 
and inland waters. A varnished cedar, lap- 
streak canoe, about 13 feet long, bow and stern 
built well up, with rather wide beam, cannot 
be surpassed for all around work. Canvas 
canoes will run a little faster, but they are not 
so steady. The craft just described is very 
easy to carry, being considerably lighter than 
the ordinary canoe. A boat of the above di¬ 
mensions ought to weigh with paddles about 
sixty pounds. The toughest and lightest 
paddles are hewn from cherry. The lapstreak 
feature imparts a steady quality in rough 
weather, which operates on the principle of the 
bilge keel. Seats should be built low and not 
flush with the gunwale. The arrangement 
also makes for safety. The most comfortable 
seat is made of woven bamboo. A bottle hold¬ 
ing about four ounces of shellac should be tied 
to the inside of the canoe for the purpose of 
making temporary repairs. 
At almost any time of year four blankets 
(woolen) for two persons are none too many. 
Two blankets should be sewn together at the 
bottom. Crawl between these at night and 
use the others for covers. Blankets cannot be 
so easily pulled off nor the feet get into the 
cold night atmosphere if this plan is adopted. 
Wear a cap that will stay on your head, it 
serves as a good night-cap and protects from 
the chill. Both feet and head must be kept 
warm to sleep well. Besides, during the day 
a cap admits the sunshine to ones face and sun¬ 
shine is a blessing to every human being. 
Take with you a folding, candle-burning 
aluminum lantern with mica sides. It will be 
especially useful if darkness overtakes one in 
the woods, or if a book is to be read or a game 
of cards is on after the evening meal; aluminum 
dishes; spider with detachable handle; smoked 
eyeglasses for bright days on the water. They 
will prevent many an eyeache and many a 
headache. 
Footwear is important. At least two pairs 
of socks should be worn. One pair must be 
woolen. Three pairs of cotton socks are not 
too many. A moccasin lacing to the ankle 
with an extra pliable sewed sole and rubber 
heel—have heels put on—constitutes the best 
shoe for the canoe, mountain climbing and 
woods in general during dry weather. I would 
suggest a pair of featherweight rubber boots for 
rainy days. Some try to make one kind oi 
footwear meet all conditions, and by so doing 
encumber themselves with a hot boot in warn 
weather, a wet boot in very wet weather and r 
heavy boot at all times. 
Another adjunct to happiness is a light, 
rubber coat. It will keep the dampness of the 
not infrequently wet boughs of the camper’s 
couch from penetrating his sleeping blanket: 
as well as protect the body from rain. 
The most desirable portable camp consist: 
of a silk shelter tent made of a very thin oilec 
material. It can be put up all shapes anc 
quickly. One nine feet square is large enougl 
for three persons and will weigh about three 
pounds. 
Dried or de-hydrated fruits are necessary ir 
camp. They weigh little and go far; raisins 
apples or prunes preferred. Breakfast food: 
may sound a little ultra for roughing it, stil 
they add a relish and help break the monoton; 
of a menu that is sure to want variety befon 
the end of a long sojourn in the woods. Us< 
tea. It is more portable, keeps longer am 
leaves the user in better physical condition, fo 
pursuit of the strenuous life in forest wilds 
Do not forget the onions. G. A. W. 
The Forest and Stream may be obtained froi 
any newsdealer on order. Ask your dealer t 
supply you regularly. 
